Witch Gone Bad
Part 5: Loreena
Loreena licked her lips nervously as she drove to Magic Avenue. What now? Rowan had called an emergency meeting of the coven. Her mother had warned her that being a witch wasn’t easy, but she’d put that down to her mother being overly protective. Her mom had been in the coven once, a long time ago, before Loreena was born—when Magrat was the high priestess. When Magrat and five other witches died, fighting the fire demon, Jaleel, her mom had “retired.” She’d married a nice werewolf and had two children—Loreena—who took after her—and Lawry—who took after Dad—strong and furry. Mom was content to stay home now and run a small business, cleansing houses from bad magic and placing wards to protect them. If someone needed something stronger, they called Babet, but her mom’s wards were potent enough for everyday mortals.
When Loreena reached the school for young witches, she pulled to the curb behind Babet’s husband’s car. Men weren’t allowed at coven meetings, so something was up. Loreena squared her shoulders. She wasn’t the strongest witch in the coven, but she wasn’t the weakest either. With her soft, mocha complexion and lithe figure, people guessed her to be younger than she was, but she’d joined the coven three summers ago. She’d dealt with the Pied Piper, a pervert if ever she’d met one, and she’d helped the coven fight the necromancer and ban the shadow demon. She’d grown stronger than she meant to.
The other witches were all there when she entered the building. They met in the classroom that many of them had attended. When Rowan cleared her voice to call them to order, they scurried to find seats and grew still. Loreena could taste apprehension hanging in the air.
“I have sad news to deliver tonight,” Rowan started. When she told them that Candace was sacrificed, so that someone could steal her power, Loreena felt fear worm its way through her intestines. Who’d be daring enough to defy the coven? Every member was sworn to support and defend each other.
When Rowan finished speaking, she nodded to Babet’s husband, Prosper. Every witch in the room adored the man. He’d helped them over and over again. Since he’d bonded with Babet, witches and shifters worked together. As a detective on River City’s supernatural law enforcement team, he and Babet often teamed up to keep the city safe. Each time he shifted into a monstrous-sized bear, it took Loreena’s breath away. When he shifted back, his clothes in tatters—well, that made every witch breathless, too.
Tonight, he didn’t mince words. He nodded to his partner on the police force. “Hatchet and I visited Candace’s boyfriend, a mortal. We’re convinced he had nothing to do with her death.”
No surprise there. Loreena had met Mr. Basketball Star. Tall and good-looking, with blonde hair and blue eyes, he thought very highly of himself. Other than shooting hoops, Loreena didn’t see any strong points, but Siobhan had confided the boy reminded her of Candace’s father—beautiful and shallow. He’d made a move on Loreena once when Candace went to the “lady’s room.” Loreena was unimpressed.
“After lunch with her boyfriend, Candace went to Magic Mages,” Prosper continued. “We talked to a clerk there. She said that Candace met a young woman at the counter, someone close to Candace’s age. She gave us a description.” He passed out copies of a drawing of a young woman with wavy, black hair and sensual, full lips. “The clerk didn’t think they were friends. She got the impression they’d just met.”
Loreena studied the drawing. She’d never seen the girl before. Not surprising in a city the size of theirs.
“The girls left the shop together, and that’s the last anyone saw of Candace.” Prosper scanned their faces before saying, “Hatchet and I checked on recent crimes in the area. A twenty-year-old man was found naked and stabbed through the heart fifteen days ago at the old boat dock at Settlers’ Park. We weren’t called on the case because the victim was mortal, and there was no sign of anything supernatural, but now we think that crime’s connected to Candace’s murder.”
Loreena rubbed her arms. An early voodoo priest used to meet early settlers at that dock and sacrifice them. It was a place of strong, black magic. Blood tainted the ground and river banks. The witches’ graves—Magrat’s and five others—were in a grove in the park.
Prosper gave them a minute to absorb the information, then said, “It’s too soon to be sure, but it looks like the killer chooses victims who are in their late teens or early twenties. Every witch should be careful, but young witches should be doubly cautious. If anyone sees the girl in the drawing, call us immediately.”
Rowan addressed them again. “Parents, if you have teenagers, keep a close eye on them. Someone has decided to kill our children to claim their power. If that witch gets greedier, she might confront one of us.”
Witches, pale and shaken, filed out of the room to drive home. They were under attack…again.
Loreena lived alone. When she left the meeting and got in her car, she immediately checked the back seat for an intruder, and finding it empty, locked her doors. She turned on the air conditioner instead of rolling down her windows. The sun had set, and River City’s usual heat had mellowed. It wasn’t cool outside, but it was tolerable. She didn’t care. She felt more vulnerable with her windows down.
As usual, people crowded the sidewalks, but she drove away from the area shops and restaurants. She rented the first floor of a house in a quiet, quaint community. Babet had helped her ward it and its small yard, so no enemy could bother her there. If she asked, her parents would welcome her home until this threat passed, but she was determined to make it on her own. She couldn’t hide every time something spooked her. It had proven too much of a struggle to get settled.
She’d had to waitress for nearly two years until her small business grew solvent. This year, it thrived. Using her magic, she created the perfect, personal perfumes for women. She grew her own plants and flowers at Tracker and Ophelia’s place, outside of town, and someday, hopefully soon, she’d buy a place like theirs.
She sighed, rethinking that. “Do you really want to live alone on a secluded property?” she asked herself. Sure, she could ward the house and yard, but there wouldn’t be any next door neighbors, no one to help her if she needed it. She shook her head, freeing herself of the worries. “Candace lived in town, didn’t she? That didn’t save her.” Dear Hecate, she was talking to herself. A bad sign. But maybe her mom was right. Maybe joining the coven came at too high of a price. Maybe it made them targets.
“I don’t need to worry about that,” she said to her reflection in the window’s glass. “I have Smoky—the attack cat.” She had to laugh. Her familiar cuddled more than he brawled.
Smoky came to greet her when she walked through the door. “Hey, fur ball.” The cat wound around her ankles, ready for his tuna. “Did you miss me?”
He stalked to the kitchen, expecting her to follow. She knew her place in life—as her cat’s servant, so traipsed behind him. After she filled his dish, she turned on the burner for the tea kettle, and for the first time in a long time, went to get her grimoire.
She turned its pages as she sipped her Constant Comment. Had she learned enough? Was she strong enough? She’d attended every witches’ training session, had come home and practiced until she could write the chants in her grimoire and make them her own. Could someone steal that from her?
She stared at the thickness of her book. She’d worked hard to learn that many spells. What a cheap, lazy-ass trick for someone to take what another had to earn. Anger replaced the fear she felt. She hoped the coven found this blood and magic thief and blasted her into oblivion. Suddenly, she felt proud to belong to a group of strong women who hunted down and destroyed users of the dark arts.
When she finished her tea, she closed her book and locked it away. Then she and Smoky headed for bed. Tomorrow morning, she needed to drive back to town to visit Hennie’s magic shop. She needed more binding potions to combine the many scents of her dried petals and herbs. Her mind was so jumbled with thoughts, she expected to have trouble drifting to sleep, or to have strange dreams, but she woke the next morning to her alarm, feeling rested and alert.
Smoky insisted on going into town with her. He yowled and blocked the door until she let him come. She scowled at him. “Cats are opinionated enough. Familiars are impossible!”
He curled on the front seat, ignoring her. If Smoky worried about her, he went where she went. Besides, the fur ball loved visiting Hennie’s shop. Tendrils of magic drifted in the air, stray bits from the many witches and magicks who stopped there.
Hennie smiled when she saw him. “You have such a nice cat. He has such a sweet disposition.”
Loreena couldn’t disagree. She watched him stalk the aisles, mesmerized. Hennie was filling her order when the bell over the door jangled, and they turned to see a young girl enter the shop—a girl with wavy, dark hair and brown, lustrous eyes—the girl in Prosper’s drawing.
Smoky arched his back and hissed. Hennie cocked her head, studying the girl. “I’m with someone right now, but I can help you in a minute. Have you decided which sleep potion you’d like to try?” She gave Loreena an arch look.
Sleep. Candace had been asleep when her attacker killed her, and Babet had told them that there were no bruises from magic blasts.
The girl turned to Loreena and smiled. Her eyes glittered with invitation. Was she flirting with her? The girl shrugged. “I’m not in a hurry.”
Loreena bent to scoop up Smoky. She petted him to calm him. “Sorry. He usually has good manners. I don’t know what’s gotten into him.” Not exactly true. Familiars could sense things their mistresses couldn’t. Smoky smelled enemy when he looked at this girl. Smoky was never wrong.
The girl’s smile grew wider, more enticing. “No problem, he can probably tell I’m new to witchcraft. I’m just finally starting to practice.” She glanced at Loreena from beneath lowered lashes. “I’ve been looking for someone to train with.”
Was this girl for real? She was as full of herself as Candace’s basketball boyfriend. But if she walked out of Hennie’s shop, would the coven ever see her again? Loreena returned the smile. “What do you want to learn?”
The girl looked down, trying to be demure. She couldn’t pull it off, so went for the glam smile again. “The basics would get me started. Are you serious? You’ll help me?”
“Why not?” Loreena could be as fake as she was. “We witches have to stick together. I’m Loreena. And you?”
“Merlot.” A soft chuckle. “My mom has a thing for wine.”
“Well, when would you like to start, Merlot?”
The girl almost gloated, but caught herself. “The sooner, the better. What works for you?”
The sooner, the better was right. This girl needed to be stopped. Loreena glanced at Hennie. “I have a couple of things I have to do yet. Maybe in two hours behind the shop? There’s a privacy fence. No one would see us.”
The girl hesitated. Loreena knew she wouldn’t want to train here. How could she murder a witch when other witches came and went? “I’d be embarrassed if anyone saw me, I’m so far behind everyone else my age. Could we use the old tennis courts at the nature preserve? No one ever goes there. The courts are in too bad of shape.”
Loreena nodded. “Perfect.” The courts were surrounded with trees. Shifters and witches would have lots of cover to hide behind.
Hennie cleared her throat. “If you girls have everything decided, I have your order ready.” She went to the cash register and rang out Loreena, then turned to Merlot. “What can I get for you?”
Loreena had watched the girl lift a potion from the counter and put it in her pocket. Merlot shrugged. “I’m fine. Since Loreena’s going to train me, I’m all set.”
From Hennie’s expression, Loreena knew she’d seen it, too. But Hennie gave Merlot a bright smile. “Glad you tried our shop again.” True. They wouldn’t have to go searching for the dark witch. She’d come to them.
Loreena followed Merlot from the shop and watched her walk away. She waited until she was out of sight, then returned to Hennie.
Hennie nodded. “I’ve already called Rowan. She’ll call Babet, and Babet will call Prosper. Pretty soon, every witch will know. When you go to meet Merlot, we’ll be ready.”
Quick footsteps sounded on the stairs that led to the apartment above the shop. Rowan came straight to Loreena. “Don’t drive to the preserve alone. Meet us here, and we’ll drive together. Everyone else is going an hour ahead of time. Merlot will want to get there before you, to set things up. She drugged Candace, but she’s stronger now. She might try something else.”
Loreena nodded. “I’ll be back in an hour. I’m taking Smoky home.”
The cat glared. He tried to duck away, but Loreena held him tight.
“You warned me, and that’s enough,” she told him. “We’re setting a trap. I’ll have lots of people to protect me, but I don’t want you hurt in the crossfire.” She had to lock him in a back room when they got home, he was so determined to come. He wouldn’t be happy with her when she got back, but at least he’d be alive.
Loreena kept glancing at the clock as she paced the house. Minutes had never seemed so long, but finally, it was time to return to Rowan and Hennie. Smoky yowled and scratched at the bedroom door when she left and jumped in the side window to watch her pull away. The poor cat looked as nervous as she felt. After all, if she died, so did he. Familiars were bound that tight to the witch they chose. But she refused to lose him if he leapt to take a blast meant for her.
On the drive to the preserve, Rowan said, “Prosper and Hatchet are both there, so is Babet. With the two of us, we should have plenty of magic muscle, but you still need to be careful. Don’t let Merlot hurt you. You’re stronger than she is, more experienced. Be ready.”
Were you ever ready? Adrenaline pumped through Loreena’s veins. What should she watch for? If she turned her back on Merlot, would she blast her?
Rowan and Hennie disappeared into the underbrush before Loreena left the woods to follow the path to the tennis courts. Merlot was already there, waiting for her.
“Hi!” She handed her a bottle of water. “I brought something in case we got thirsty.”
She opened her bottle and took a long swig before they started. “It sure is a hot day.”
Loreena shrugged. “The restrooms are a hiking distance from here. I’ll wait till later.”
Merlot looked disappointed, but shrugged. “What do we do first?”
“Let’s see if you can form a ball of magic in your hand.” Loreena showed her what to do, and with Candace’s powers, she soon mastered it.
They reached the point where Loreena was teaching her to throw magic. It was so humid, perspiration was dripping from Loreena’s forehead into her eyes. The salt stung. She had to keep wiping it away. Merlot looked like she was ready to melt. Finally, Merlot said, “I need more water. You?”
If Loreena never took a drink, Merlot would never make her move. They’d stand out here, sweating to death, and then they’d leave. Loreena opened her bottle, unsealed, and pointed at a nearby bush. “See if you can hit that.”
Merlot aimed and blasted, making the branches shake. When she turned to Loreena, she smiled when she saw half the water in the bottle gone. “So you were thirsty?”
Loreena licked her lips. “I needed that.”
Merlot kept glancing at her, so in a few minutes, Loreena yawned and rubbed her eyes. “The heat’s making me tired. Maybe we should call it quits for the day.”
“It’s a scorcher,” Merlot agreed. “I could use a break before I crawl in my hot car. I brought a quilt to sit on and relax. Can I ask you a few questions before you leave?”
Loreena followed her to the quilt and sat. When she blinked her eyes slowly, Merlot gave her a gentle shove. She fell onto her back, and Merlot smiled. It took all of her will power to shut her eyes. How could she protect herself if she couldn’t see?
Merlot kissed her forehead. Ich. She whispered, “Thanks for being my friend.”
Through slit eyes, Loreena watched the girl reach in her pocket and pull out a yellowed piece of paper with a spell scrawled in large, looping letters. Then Merlot reached for her purse and pulled out a knife. When she turned back, Loreena sat up and stared at her. People started walking toward them from the tree line.
Merlot licked her lips. “I thought you’d fallen asleep.”
“I know, friend.” Loreena’s voice sounded like grated glass, even to her own ears.
Merlot jumped to her feet, ready to run, but everyone’s palms shot up, aimed at her. Loreena’s too—only inches away.
Merlot spread her hands helplessly. “Just because I’m a stranger….”
“Don’t go there.” Loreena stood and flipped back the quilt. A pentagram was painted on the sparse grass. She was reaching for the yellowed paper when a blast knocked her off her feet, throwing her several yards away. She landed in a heap on the hard dirt. She’d have bruises in the morning. Where had the blast come from?
A witch with wild, iron-gray hair stalked toward Merlot. Energy buzzed around her in a dark halo. Lots of energy. A black bird flitted overhead. “If you want to live, child, come to me!”
Merlot hustled to the witch’s side.
Rowan, Hennie, and Babet turned toward her as one. Rowan called, “She killed one of ours, Hezra! We won’t let her live.”
Hezra laughed. “I’m claiming the girl. She’s Dagmar’s daughter. Give her to me and I’ll make her my apprentice. She’ll do no more dark magic in River City.”
Loreena stared. So this was the infamous Hezra. Everyone in the coven knew that she and the coven had an unspoken truce. She lived in River City, but never practiced here. Instead, she sold her powers elsewhere.
“She’s killed two, innocent people. It’s our job to bring her to justice.” Prosper shifted to his bear form, clothes ripping and falling in shreds. A monstrous, brown bear stood on its hind legs, its teeth bared. Hatchet rolled up his sleeves.
Babet went to stand beside her Were. Rowan and Hennie stood, shoulder to shoulder, with Hatchet.
Hezra sighed. “You’ll regret this. Why break our peace? I’ve practiced more blood magic than your coven can defeat.”
Loreena pushed to her feet. Her muscles protested. Her joints ached. She swallowed hard. Her friends would need her. Blood magic infused dark witches with more power than any white spells and chants were capable of.
Merlot looked at Hezra, a smug smile starting, then glared at Loreena. “You tricked me!” She shot a blast of energy at Loreena’s head.
Loreena deflected it easily. She’d taught the girl how to do it. Merlot was a rank beginner, nothing else, but the blast proved the flame that lit the fire.
Magic flew all around her, streaks of energy slicing the air like lightning. Merlot ducked, then ran for the tree line. Chicken shit. Not so freaking fast. Loreena hit her squarely between the shoulders. Merlot jerked when the blast caught her. She screamed and fell.
Hezra glanced behind her to see if Merlot was all right, then shot a white, sizzling ball at Loreena. Loreena called for a protective shield. The shield quivered, bulged, but bounced it away. She watched Merlot struggle to her feet to run again. Rowan and Hennie noticed, too. Rowan and Babet streamed energy at Hezra as Hennie aimed at the girl. Merlot dodged Hennie’s shot, but Loreena drilled her with a white stream of crackling power, harder than before. Merlot went down again.
Hezra waved her arm, and energy sparkled in the air. It blocked a blast from Babet, then she formed it into a ball. Uh-oh, not good.
Merlot dragged herself farther up the path, and Loreena raised her palms once more. Before she could release the energy, Hennie gave a sharp cry as she flew past her, thudding against a tree. She slumped to the ground and lay there a second, then shook her head, and rolled to her feet. This time, Hezra shot energy at Hennie’s chest, hoping to finish her, but Babet blasted it aside.
The dark witch locked gazes with her, and Babet stamped her foot. The ground moved under Hezra, and she had to throw out her arms to regain her balance. Rowan blasted her in the shoulder. Prosper hurled himself at her. She waved her hands and knocked him away. Hatchet’s tattoos circled her right arm, but she yanked free. Her face contorted in anger, Hezra gave a cruel smile and turned back to Rowan, just as Babet inhaled a deep breath.
Hezra’s eyes went wide with surprise when a tendril of energy slid from her lips and slithered to Babet. Babet inhaled again, and more energy followed the first. Hezra raised her palms at Babet, but Prosper hit her from the side. His monstrous bear body knocked her flat, and she had to push with all her power to move him off her. Hatchet’s tattoos circled her wrists this time and tied them, tight. Rowan and Hennie aimed together while Babet sucked in energy. This time, their blast drilled Hezra in the forehead. The dark witch screeched, then her body sagged. When they stood over her, she cried, “Finish me! Don’t leave me like Dagmar.”
Rowan nodded, and energy poured into her. When it stopped, Hezra was dead.
Loreena ran down the path through the trees to find Merlot. The girl was too weak to walk. She was crawling toward her car. Loreena ran in front of her and called for a protective shield. The invisible wall blocked Merlot from going any farther. Rowan, Hennie, and the others came to circle her. Without a word, they raised their palms. Merlot would steal no more.
Loreena released her shield and stumbled.
Babet came to support her. “You did great.”
Rowan raised an eyebrow at her in question. “Your mom retired after her battle with Jaleel. The coven’s become a dangerous place.”
Loreena knew what she was asking and shook her head. “Someone has to fight evil, or no one would be safe. That’s what we do. That’s why I’m staying.” Witches alone probably couldn’t have defeated Hezra, but that’s not how River City’s supernaturals worked these days. What Hezra hadn’t taken into account is that witches worked with shifters, who worked with the Druid, Hatchet. Then there were Babet’s succubus powers and succubus friends. Even vampires helped when they could. Hezra pitted one kind of magick against a host of others. And she lost.
On the drive home, Loreena rolled down her car windows and sang to the music on the radio. Dangers would always come to River City, but she was safer and happier with the coven than facing them alone. There was power in numbers and cooperation. She wouldn’t run and hide. She’d stay with the coven and face their enemies.
Part 5: Loreena
Loreena licked her lips nervously as she drove to Magic Avenue. What now? Rowan had called an emergency meeting of the coven. Her mother had warned her that being a witch wasn’t easy, but she’d put that down to her mother being overly protective. Her mom had been in the coven once, a long time ago, before Loreena was born—when Magrat was the high priestess. When Magrat and five other witches died, fighting the fire demon, Jaleel, her mom had “retired.” She’d married a nice werewolf and had two children—Loreena—who took after her—and Lawry—who took after Dad—strong and furry. Mom was content to stay home now and run a small business, cleansing houses from bad magic and placing wards to protect them. If someone needed something stronger, they called Babet, but her mom’s wards were potent enough for everyday mortals.
When Loreena reached the school for young witches, she pulled to the curb behind Babet’s husband’s car. Men weren’t allowed at coven meetings, so something was up. Loreena squared her shoulders. She wasn’t the strongest witch in the coven, but she wasn’t the weakest either. With her soft, mocha complexion and lithe figure, people guessed her to be younger than she was, but she’d joined the coven three summers ago. She’d dealt with the Pied Piper, a pervert if ever she’d met one, and she’d helped the coven fight the necromancer and ban the shadow demon. She’d grown stronger than she meant to.
The other witches were all there when she entered the building. They met in the classroom that many of them had attended. When Rowan cleared her voice to call them to order, they scurried to find seats and grew still. Loreena could taste apprehension hanging in the air.
“I have sad news to deliver tonight,” Rowan started. When she told them that Candace was sacrificed, so that someone could steal her power, Loreena felt fear worm its way through her intestines. Who’d be daring enough to defy the coven? Every member was sworn to support and defend each other.
When Rowan finished speaking, she nodded to Babet’s husband, Prosper. Every witch in the room adored the man. He’d helped them over and over again. Since he’d bonded with Babet, witches and shifters worked together. As a detective on River City’s supernatural law enforcement team, he and Babet often teamed up to keep the city safe. Each time he shifted into a monstrous-sized bear, it took Loreena’s breath away. When he shifted back, his clothes in tatters—well, that made every witch breathless, too.
Tonight, he didn’t mince words. He nodded to his partner on the police force. “Hatchet and I visited Candace’s boyfriend, a mortal. We’re convinced he had nothing to do with her death.”
No surprise there. Loreena had met Mr. Basketball Star. Tall and good-looking, with blonde hair and blue eyes, he thought very highly of himself. Other than shooting hoops, Loreena didn’t see any strong points, but Siobhan had confided the boy reminded her of Candace’s father—beautiful and shallow. He’d made a move on Loreena once when Candace went to the “lady’s room.” Loreena was unimpressed.
“After lunch with her boyfriend, Candace went to Magic Mages,” Prosper continued. “We talked to a clerk there. She said that Candace met a young woman at the counter, someone close to Candace’s age. She gave us a description.” He passed out copies of a drawing of a young woman with wavy, black hair and sensual, full lips. “The clerk didn’t think they were friends. She got the impression they’d just met.”
Loreena studied the drawing. She’d never seen the girl before. Not surprising in a city the size of theirs.
“The girls left the shop together, and that’s the last anyone saw of Candace.” Prosper scanned their faces before saying, “Hatchet and I checked on recent crimes in the area. A twenty-year-old man was found naked and stabbed through the heart fifteen days ago at the old boat dock at Settlers’ Park. We weren’t called on the case because the victim was mortal, and there was no sign of anything supernatural, but now we think that crime’s connected to Candace’s murder.”
Loreena rubbed her arms. An early voodoo priest used to meet early settlers at that dock and sacrifice them. It was a place of strong, black magic. Blood tainted the ground and river banks. The witches’ graves—Magrat’s and five others—were in a grove in the park.
Prosper gave them a minute to absorb the information, then said, “It’s too soon to be sure, but it looks like the killer chooses victims who are in their late teens or early twenties. Every witch should be careful, but young witches should be doubly cautious. If anyone sees the girl in the drawing, call us immediately.”
Rowan addressed them again. “Parents, if you have teenagers, keep a close eye on them. Someone has decided to kill our children to claim their power. If that witch gets greedier, she might confront one of us.”
Witches, pale and shaken, filed out of the room to drive home. They were under attack…again.
Loreena lived alone. When she left the meeting and got in her car, she immediately checked the back seat for an intruder, and finding it empty, locked her doors. She turned on the air conditioner instead of rolling down her windows. The sun had set, and River City’s usual heat had mellowed. It wasn’t cool outside, but it was tolerable. She didn’t care. She felt more vulnerable with her windows down.
As usual, people crowded the sidewalks, but she drove away from the area shops and restaurants. She rented the first floor of a house in a quiet, quaint community. Babet had helped her ward it and its small yard, so no enemy could bother her there. If she asked, her parents would welcome her home until this threat passed, but she was determined to make it on her own. She couldn’t hide every time something spooked her. It had proven too much of a struggle to get settled.
She’d had to waitress for nearly two years until her small business grew solvent. This year, it thrived. Using her magic, she created the perfect, personal perfumes for women. She grew her own plants and flowers at Tracker and Ophelia’s place, outside of town, and someday, hopefully soon, she’d buy a place like theirs.
She sighed, rethinking that. “Do you really want to live alone on a secluded property?” she asked herself. Sure, she could ward the house and yard, but there wouldn’t be any next door neighbors, no one to help her if she needed it. She shook her head, freeing herself of the worries. “Candace lived in town, didn’t she? That didn’t save her.” Dear Hecate, she was talking to herself. A bad sign. But maybe her mom was right. Maybe joining the coven came at too high of a price. Maybe it made them targets.
“I don’t need to worry about that,” she said to her reflection in the window’s glass. “I have Smoky—the attack cat.” She had to laugh. Her familiar cuddled more than he brawled.
Smoky came to greet her when she walked through the door. “Hey, fur ball.” The cat wound around her ankles, ready for his tuna. “Did you miss me?”
He stalked to the kitchen, expecting her to follow. She knew her place in life—as her cat’s servant, so traipsed behind him. After she filled his dish, she turned on the burner for the tea kettle, and for the first time in a long time, went to get her grimoire.
She turned its pages as she sipped her Constant Comment. Had she learned enough? Was she strong enough? She’d attended every witches’ training session, had come home and practiced until she could write the chants in her grimoire and make them her own. Could someone steal that from her?
She stared at the thickness of her book. She’d worked hard to learn that many spells. What a cheap, lazy-ass trick for someone to take what another had to earn. Anger replaced the fear she felt. She hoped the coven found this blood and magic thief and blasted her into oblivion. Suddenly, she felt proud to belong to a group of strong women who hunted down and destroyed users of the dark arts.
When she finished her tea, she closed her book and locked it away. Then she and Smoky headed for bed. Tomorrow morning, she needed to drive back to town to visit Hennie’s magic shop. She needed more binding potions to combine the many scents of her dried petals and herbs. Her mind was so jumbled with thoughts, she expected to have trouble drifting to sleep, or to have strange dreams, but she woke the next morning to her alarm, feeling rested and alert.
Smoky insisted on going into town with her. He yowled and blocked the door until she let him come. She scowled at him. “Cats are opinionated enough. Familiars are impossible!”
He curled on the front seat, ignoring her. If Smoky worried about her, he went where she went. Besides, the fur ball loved visiting Hennie’s shop. Tendrils of magic drifted in the air, stray bits from the many witches and magicks who stopped there.
Hennie smiled when she saw him. “You have such a nice cat. He has such a sweet disposition.”
Loreena couldn’t disagree. She watched him stalk the aisles, mesmerized. Hennie was filling her order when the bell over the door jangled, and they turned to see a young girl enter the shop—a girl with wavy, dark hair and brown, lustrous eyes—the girl in Prosper’s drawing.
Smoky arched his back and hissed. Hennie cocked her head, studying the girl. “I’m with someone right now, but I can help you in a minute. Have you decided which sleep potion you’d like to try?” She gave Loreena an arch look.
Sleep. Candace had been asleep when her attacker killed her, and Babet had told them that there were no bruises from magic blasts.
The girl turned to Loreena and smiled. Her eyes glittered with invitation. Was she flirting with her? The girl shrugged. “I’m not in a hurry.”
Loreena bent to scoop up Smoky. She petted him to calm him. “Sorry. He usually has good manners. I don’t know what’s gotten into him.” Not exactly true. Familiars could sense things their mistresses couldn’t. Smoky smelled enemy when he looked at this girl. Smoky was never wrong.
The girl’s smile grew wider, more enticing. “No problem, he can probably tell I’m new to witchcraft. I’m just finally starting to practice.” She glanced at Loreena from beneath lowered lashes. “I’ve been looking for someone to train with.”
Was this girl for real? She was as full of herself as Candace’s basketball boyfriend. But if she walked out of Hennie’s shop, would the coven ever see her again? Loreena returned the smile. “What do you want to learn?”
The girl looked down, trying to be demure. She couldn’t pull it off, so went for the glam smile again. “The basics would get me started. Are you serious? You’ll help me?”
“Why not?” Loreena could be as fake as she was. “We witches have to stick together. I’m Loreena. And you?”
“Merlot.” A soft chuckle. “My mom has a thing for wine.”
“Well, when would you like to start, Merlot?”
The girl almost gloated, but caught herself. “The sooner, the better. What works for you?”
The sooner, the better was right. This girl needed to be stopped. Loreena glanced at Hennie. “I have a couple of things I have to do yet. Maybe in two hours behind the shop? There’s a privacy fence. No one would see us.”
The girl hesitated. Loreena knew she wouldn’t want to train here. How could she murder a witch when other witches came and went? “I’d be embarrassed if anyone saw me, I’m so far behind everyone else my age. Could we use the old tennis courts at the nature preserve? No one ever goes there. The courts are in too bad of shape.”
Loreena nodded. “Perfect.” The courts were surrounded with trees. Shifters and witches would have lots of cover to hide behind.
Hennie cleared her throat. “If you girls have everything decided, I have your order ready.” She went to the cash register and rang out Loreena, then turned to Merlot. “What can I get for you?”
Loreena had watched the girl lift a potion from the counter and put it in her pocket. Merlot shrugged. “I’m fine. Since Loreena’s going to train me, I’m all set.”
From Hennie’s expression, Loreena knew she’d seen it, too. But Hennie gave Merlot a bright smile. “Glad you tried our shop again.” True. They wouldn’t have to go searching for the dark witch. She’d come to them.
Loreena followed Merlot from the shop and watched her walk away. She waited until she was out of sight, then returned to Hennie.
Hennie nodded. “I’ve already called Rowan. She’ll call Babet, and Babet will call Prosper. Pretty soon, every witch will know. When you go to meet Merlot, we’ll be ready.”
Quick footsteps sounded on the stairs that led to the apartment above the shop. Rowan came straight to Loreena. “Don’t drive to the preserve alone. Meet us here, and we’ll drive together. Everyone else is going an hour ahead of time. Merlot will want to get there before you, to set things up. She drugged Candace, but she’s stronger now. She might try something else.”
Loreena nodded. “I’ll be back in an hour. I’m taking Smoky home.”
The cat glared. He tried to duck away, but Loreena held him tight.
“You warned me, and that’s enough,” she told him. “We’re setting a trap. I’ll have lots of people to protect me, but I don’t want you hurt in the crossfire.” She had to lock him in a back room when they got home, he was so determined to come. He wouldn’t be happy with her when she got back, but at least he’d be alive.
Loreena kept glancing at the clock as she paced the house. Minutes had never seemed so long, but finally, it was time to return to Rowan and Hennie. Smoky yowled and scratched at the bedroom door when she left and jumped in the side window to watch her pull away. The poor cat looked as nervous as she felt. After all, if she died, so did he. Familiars were bound that tight to the witch they chose. But she refused to lose him if he leapt to take a blast meant for her.
On the drive to the preserve, Rowan said, “Prosper and Hatchet are both there, so is Babet. With the two of us, we should have plenty of magic muscle, but you still need to be careful. Don’t let Merlot hurt you. You’re stronger than she is, more experienced. Be ready.”
Were you ever ready? Adrenaline pumped through Loreena’s veins. What should she watch for? If she turned her back on Merlot, would she blast her?
Rowan and Hennie disappeared into the underbrush before Loreena left the woods to follow the path to the tennis courts. Merlot was already there, waiting for her.
“Hi!” She handed her a bottle of water. “I brought something in case we got thirsty.”
She opened her bottle and took a long swig before they started. “It sure is a hot day.”
Loreena shrugged. “The restrooms are a hiking distance from here. I’ll wait till later.”
Merlot looked disappointed, but shrugged. “What do we do first?”
“Let’s see if you can form a ball of magic in your hand.” Loreena showed her what to do, and with Candace’s powers, she soon mastered it.
They reached the point where Loreena was teaching her to throw magic. It was so humid, perspiration was dripping from Loreena’s forehead into her eyes. The salt stung. She had to keep wiping it away. Merlot looked like she was ready to melt. Finally, Merlot said, “I need more water. You?”
If Loreena never took a drink, Merlot would never make her move. They’d stand out here, sweating to death, and then they’d leave. Loreena opened her bottle, unsealed, and pointed at a nearby bush. “See if you can hit that.”
Merlot aimed and blasted, making the branches shake. When she turned to Loreena, she smiled when she saw half the water in the bottle gone. “So you were thirsty?”
Loreena licked her lips. “I needed that.”
Merlot kept glancing at her, so in a few minutes, Loreena yawned and rubbed her eyes. “The heat’s making me tired. Maybe we should call it quits for the day.”
“It’s a scorcher,” Merlot agreed. “I could use a break before I crawl in my hot car. I brought a quilt to sit on and relax. Can I ask you a few questions before you leave?”
Loreena followed her to the quilt and sat. When she blinked her eyes slowly, Merlot gave her a gentle shove. She fell onto her back, and Merlot smiled. It took all of her will power to shut her eyes. How could she protect herself if she couldn’t see?
Merlot kissed her forehead. Ich. She whispered, “Thanks for being my friend.”
Through slit eyes, Loreena watched the girl reach in her pocket and pull out a yellowed piece of paper with a spell scrawled in large, looping letters. Then Merlot reached for her purse and pulled out a knife. When she turned back, Loreena sat up and stared at her. People started walking toward them from the tree line.
Merlot licked her lips. “I thought you’d fallen asleep.”
“I know, friend.” Loreena’s voice sounded like grated glass, even to her own ears.
Merlot jumped to her feet, ready to run, but everyone’s palms shot up, aimed at her. Loreena’s too—only inches away.
Merlot spread her hands helplessly. “Just because I’m a stranger….”
“Don’t go there.” Loreena stood and flipped back the quilt. A pentagram was painted on the sparse grass. She was reaching for the yellowed paper when a blast knocked her off her feet, throwing her several yards away. She landed in a heap on the hard dirt. She’d have bruises in the morning. Where had the blast come from?
A witch with wild, iron-gray hair stalked toward Merlot. Energy buzzed around her in a dark halo. Lots of energy. A black bird flitted overhead. “If you want to live, child, come to me!”
Merlot hustled to the witch’s side.
Rowan, Hennie, and Babet turned toward her as one. Rowan called, “She killed one of ours, Hezra! We won’t let her live.”
Hezra laughed. “I’m claiming the girl. She’s Dagmar’s daughter. Give her to me and I’ll make her my apprentice. She’ll do no more dark magic in River City.”
Loreena stared. So this was the infamous Hezra. Everyone in the coven knew that she and the coven had an unspoken truce. She lived in River City, but never practiced here. Instead, she sold her powers elsewhere.
“She’s killed two, innocent people. It’s our job to bring her to justice.” Prosper shifted to his bear form, clothes ripping and falling in shreds. A monstrous, brown bear stood on its hind legs, its teeth bared. Hatchet rolled up his sleeves.
Babet went to stand beside her Were. Rowan and Hennie stood, shoulder to shoulder, with Hatchet.
Hezra sighed. “You’ll regret this. Why break our peace? I’ve practiced more blood magic than your coven can defeat.”
Loreena pushed to her feet. Her muscles protested. Her joints ached. She swallowed hard. Her friends would need her. Blood magic infused dark witches with more power than any white spells and chants were capable of.
Merlot looked at Hezra, a smug smile starting, then glared at Loreena. “You tricked me!” She shot a blast of energy at Loreena’s head.
Loreena deflected it easily. She’d taught the girl how to do it. Merlot was a rank beginner, nothing else, but the blast proved the flame that lit the fire.
Magic flew all around her, streaks of energy slicing the air like lightning. Merlot ducked, then ran for the tree line. Chicken shit. Not so freaking fast. Loreena hit her squarely between the shoulders. Merlot jerked when the blast caught her. She screamed and fell.
Hezra glanced behind her to see if Merlot was all right, then shot a white, sizzling ball at Loreena. Loreena called for a protective shield. The shield quivered, bulged, but bounced it away. She watched Merlot struggle to her feet to run again. Rowan and Hennie noticed, too. Rowan and Babet streamed energy at Hezra as Hennie aimed at the girl. Merlot dodged Hennie’s shot, but Loreena drilled her with a white stream of crackling power, harder than before. Merlot went down again.
Hezra waved her arm, and energy sparkled in the air. It blocked a blast from Babet, then she formed it into a ball. Uh-oh, not good.
Merlot dragged herself farther up the path, and Loreena raised her palms once more. Before she could release the energy, Hennie gave a sharp cry as she flew past her, thudding against a tree. She slumped to the ground and lay there a second, then shook her head, and rolled to her feet. This time, Hezra shot energy at Hennie’s chest, hoping to finish her, but Babet blasted it aside.
The dark witch locked gazes with her, and Babet stamped her foot. The ground moved under Hezra, and she had to throw out her arms to regain her balance. Rowan blasted her in the shoulder. Prosper hurled himself at her. She waved her hands and knocked him away. Hatchet’s tattoos circled her right arm, but she yanked free. Her face contorted in anger, Hezra gave a cruel smile and turned back to Rowan, just as Babet inhaled a deep breath.
Hezra’s eyes went wide with surprise when a tendril of energy slid from her lips and slithered to Babet. Babet inhaled again, and more energy followed the first. Hezra raised her palms at Babet, but Prosper hit her from the side. His monstrous bear body knocked her flat, and she had to push with all her power to move him off her. Hatchet’s tattoos circled her wrists this time and tied them, tight. Rowan and Hennie aimed together while Babet sucked in energy. This time, their blast drilled Hezra in the forehead. The dark witch screeched, then her body sagged. When they stood over her, she cried, “Finish me! Don’t leave me like Dagmar.”
Rowan nodded, and energy poured into her. When it stopped, Hezra was dead.
Loreena ran down the path through the trees to find Merlot. The girl was too weak to walk. She was crawling toward her car. Loreena ran in front of her and called for a protective shield. The invisible wall blocked Merlot from going any farther. Rowan, Hennie, and the others came to circle her. Without a word, they raised their palms. Merlot would steal no more.
Loreena released her shield and stumbled.
Babet came to support her. “You did great.”
Rowan raised an eyebrow at her in question. “Your mom retired after her battle with Jaleel. The coven’s become a dangerous place.”
Loreena knew what she was asking and shook her head. “Someone has to fight evil, or no one would be safe. That’s what we do. That’s why I’m staying.” Witches alone probably couldn’t have defeated Hezra, but that’s not how River City’s supernaturals worked these days. What Hezra hadn’t taken into account is that witches worked with shifters, who worked with the Druid, Hatchet. Then there were Babet’s succubus powers and succubus friends. Even vampires helped when they could. Hezra pitted one kind of magick against a host of others. And she lost.
On the drive home, Loreena rolled down her car windows and sang to the music on the radio. Dangers would always come to River City, but she was safer and happier with the coven than facing them alone. There was power in numbers and cooperation. She wouldn’t run and hide. She’d stay with the coven and face their enemies.
